BEAUMONT, Texas — Education First Federal Credit Union and 12News have partnered with the Beaumont Enterprise to assist teachers whose classrooms were damaged by Tropical Storm Imelda.
Education First, which was founded 67 years ago by teachers, is committed to supporting education in the local community. The credit union has donated $150,000 to local schools since 2014 and awarded $37,000 in scholarship to local high school seniors every year.
Heavy rain from Imelda flooded the 12News studio, forcing the station to use the Eastex Freeway Education First location as a backup facility. Thanks to this generosity, 12News has been able to remain on air and inform the southeast Texas community of the latest weather developments as the region begins to recover from Imelda.
Click here if you are a teacher whose classroom was damaged by the storm and would like to apply for assistance. The public is invited to make donations at any of the six Education First locations in Beaumont, Jasper, Kountze, Silsbee and Woodville.
Many roads in the Beaumont area remain closed due to floodwaters. A section of I-10 between Beaumont and Winnie remains closed without an estimation of when it will reopen. I-10 west is also closed at Exit 4 in Louisiana with traffic being redirected to an alternate route to reach Beaumont.
Vehicles from Houston to Beaumont were abandoned as Imelda dropped as much as 40 inches of rain on some areas Thursday. Saturday morning, the effects of the storm lingered The helicopter will fly from Houston to Winnie and then Beaumont.
Rescues continued Friday in the area. Jefferson County Sheriff's Office posted photos from water rescues that also showed the kindness of locals and horses that were grazing.